The ceremony took place at the House of Commons and was attended by MPs and leaders from the UK construction industry.

This award is a major achievement for Rotherham Aspire, a training centre that has rapidly grown its construction programme since 2018 and now stands out among some of the UK’s largest colleges and academies.

One student from Rotherham Aspire was also recognised at the Awards event. As the youngest finalist, Keira Walker received a Commendation Award as a runner-up in the Young Builder of the Year category (ages 14–18). This achievement highlights the centre’s commitment to nurturing talent and creating meaningful opportunities for young learners.

Rotherham Aspire delivers NOCN Vocational Education programmes and Functional Skills exams, which have played a pivotal role in its success. The team praised NOCN Group and the NOCN Skills for Employment, Training and Personal Development in construction for their ongoing support, noting how well the programme suits their needs and the needs of their learners.

David Thorpe, Assistant Head Teacher of Rotherham Aspire commented: “Rotherham Aspire aims to raise the aspirations of students who have not succeeded in mainstream education across the borough. Our written Ethos is “Changing Lives”. Winning this award is recognition of the hard work and the dedication of our whole team. The NOCN construction qualification has been the mainstay of our vocational offer for seven years now and without the support of NOCN this award would not have been possible. More importantly however, hundreds of Year 11 students have left Aspire with recognised qualifications through NOCN, that have helped them progress into further education and the world of work.”

Laura Randall, NOCN Group Head of Business Development, said: “We’re all about helping people build skills that open doors. Working with centres like Rotherham Aspire means learners get the qualifications they need to move forward – whether that’s into further education or straight into a career. It’s great to see their hard work being recognised.”

This award celebrates more than just success. It shows how vocational education can change lives and strengthen communities.